Just across the border from Salzburg where I live is the exquisite Berchtesgaden National Park in Bavaria, Germany. I explored some of Berchtesgaden two summers ago on a biking and hiking day trip to Königssee, Obersee und Röthbachfall, and again earlier this spring with a hike around Hintersee.
The Berchtesgaden National Park is perhaps most famously home to the Eagle's Nest, a Nazi building on the summit of the Kehlstein, used by members of the Nazi Party for government and social meetings. However, it is the exquisite natural landscapes that draw many visitors to this incredible region, home to alpine lakes, hikes, mountain ranges and wonderful views.
→ Check out my detailed guide to visiting the Berchtesgaden National Park!
This time, in search of a gorgeous afternoon hike to properly kick off the arrival of the hot summer weather to the area, Karolina and I drove about half an hour southwest of Salzburg to Maria Gern and hiked all the way up to the Kneifelspitze which offers a beautiful panoramic view of the Untersberg and back towards Salzburg in one direction, and overlooking the town of Berchtesgaden and Der Watzmann mountain in the other.
The hike was the perfect length, although it does feature a number of switchbacks at the top! We stopped for dinner at Maria Gern right next to the iconic pink Wallfahrstkirche on the way back down and I always say that food tastes better (a) after a hike and (b) when eaten outside. We loved this hike and said "wow" at least 100 times at all the different views.
KNEIFELSPITZE HIKE DETAILS
When: year-round, but recommended on a clear, sunny day
Where: Berchtesgaden National Park, Germany
Difficulty: intermediate, with quite a few switchbacks
Length: the return loop trail from Maria Gern to Kneifelspitze was 9km and just over 500m elevation gain according to my Strava which took us just over two hours of moving time, plus of course lots of time to take photos and enjoy the different viewpoints!
Directions: we parked on the road (P3) near Maria Gern and then followed the yellow signs up to Kneifelspitze, with the final destination the Paulshütte which boasts epic views over Berchtesgaden. Check out my Strava activity for our exact route.
Bathrooms: yes, at the Maria Gern and at the Paulshütte
Public Transit: yes, bus 837 runs from Salzburg Hauptbahnhof to Hintergern and stops at Maria Gern
